Creation of a public option health care plan is one of the most ambitious changes Colorado Democrats proposed Friday as they kicked off a new session of the General Assembly in control of both chambers for the first time in four years.

The first five bills introduced in each chamber — indicators of lawmakers’ top priorities for the year — largely relate to health care and education costs.

A Senate bill would create a public option health insurance plan that Coloradans who live in the highest-cost areas — mainly the Western Slope — could buy instead of their current insurance starting in the fall of 2019. A House bill would expand that program to the entire state by the fall of 2020.

“You’d be buying a plan that’s at Medicare reimbursement rates,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, who is sponsoring both bills. “It could potentially be administered through a nonprofit like Kaiser, but it’s not a private company plan.”

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

People walk beneath a Colorado and American flag during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

A member of the color guard holds the American flag during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Rep. Bri Buentello stands with her son, Noel, as he holds his Lightning McQueen racer on an elevator during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative ession at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Rep. Brianna Titone does an interview on the House floor during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Titone is the state's first transgender legislator.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Reps. Bri Buentello and Hugh McKean hug during first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

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Representatives James Coleman and Jovan Melton (standing right) adjust each others' neckwear as Rep. Janet Buckner speaks to former Denver mayor Wellington Webb during first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Rep. Chris Hansen holds his sons Ashwin (left) and Sachin (right) during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

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Rep. Tom Sullivan is seated during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Sullivan's son Alex was one of the 12 victims who was shot and killed during the 2012 Aurora theater shooting.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Reps. Alec Garnett and Jim Wilson stand as they are sworn in with fellow representatives during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

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Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nathan B. Coats swears in representatives first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Representatives, their families and people gathered in the gallery stand of the Pledge of Allegiance during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Rep. Donald Valdez stands with fellow representatives and their families during first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Rep. Janet Buckner receives a hug after being sworn in with fellow representatives during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Newly appointed House speaker KC Becker takes her post during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

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Newly appointed speaker of the house KC Becker (right) and outgoing speaker Crisanta Duran exchange gavels during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Newly appointed speaker of the house KC Becker takes her post during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Rep. Jim Wilson sits at his desk in a shaft of light during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

People walk to the Senate chamber on the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 04, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Sergeant at Arms Jim Eichman place the flowers and cards on the desks of senators during the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 04, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Sen. Faith Winter, right, celebrates the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly with her daughter Sienna Snook, 7, at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 04, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia, right, and minority leader Chris Holbert laugh together during the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 04, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court Nathan Coats, center, administers the oath of office to new Colorado senators during the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 04, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Xan Garcia, 11, son of Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia, sits on his father's chair during the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 04, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia, left, receives the gavel from Sen. Kevin Grantham during the first day of the 2019 Colorado legislative session at the Capitol on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Sen. Lois Court celebrates the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 04, 2019.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

The Colorado Senate chamber is pictured on the opening day of the 72nd General Assembly at the Colorado state Capitol on Jan. 4, 2019.

Democratic lawmakers have sought to bring change to Colorado’s health care system for years, but the combination of majorities in both the Senate and House and Jared Polis’ election as governor could be a game-changer. Health care reform was a central theme of Polis’ campaign. Senate Democrats say Polis didn’t have input on their bill but was kept updated as it was crafted.

The reason for separate bills is because a statewide public option would require a waiver from the federal government, but the pilot program would not.

“It’s very refreshing to me to see Democrats themselves finally admitting publicly that Obamacare is failing them,” said Sen. James Smallwood, R-Parker. “If Obamacare was working, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Smallwood said his main concern with both bills is that allowing people to buy the same health care plan as state employees without addressing the reasons why medical care costs more on the Western Slope could increase insurance premiums for state employees.

“This bill does absolutely nothing to address the high costs of medical care in those areas,” Smallwood said.

Another Senate bill would let Coloradans import prescription drugs from Canada. It’s an idea supported by Polis, but it has previously been rejected by the Bush and Obama administrations.

Unlike the first health care bills of the 2019 session, most of the education bills unveiled Friday have Republican co-sponsors.

One Senate bill would select 100 teachers annually to receive up to $5,000 a year for five years to help with their school loans. The program would prioritize teachers who want to work in places and teach subjects that are considered to be high need, and it would be open to any teacher rather than just those fresh out of college.

“If these programs are only geared toward new teachers, you are sending your least experienced educators into hard-to-teach areas,” said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat.

A House bill that would create a pilot program to train more principals and educators who aspire to become principals also got Republican support, but no Republican senator has signed onto a bill that would set rules for companies that service education loans.

Colorado already regulates how car loans and home loans can be serviced, but there are no rules about what student loan servicers need to disclose, said Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder. “Coloradans need someone to take ownership of helping people navigate this process.”

He said he’s optimistic the bill could pick up support from a Republican senator in the coming weeks, although it ultimately doesn’t need that if all Democrats get behind it.

Anna Staver covers politics and breaking news for The Denver Post. She's spent her career writing in statehouses, courthouses and even a few fair board meetings. She and her husband fell in love with the West a decade ago and have called Oregon, Idaho and Nevada home.

Nic Garcia is a political reporter for The Denver Post. He previously worked for Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization focused on public education, and Out Front, Colorado’s oldest LGBT news organization.

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